Heads or Tails *Summer Memory*

Heads or Tails has its very own home now! If you click on the graphic above, it will take you to the awesome new HoT blog where you can sign up and start participating in this fun and popular meme!

This week's theme is "Share a Summertime Memory".I am sharing two of my favorite memories. The first being (and will always be) fishing. I've loved to fish ever since I was big enough to hold a pole.

The second memory is my Grandpa & Grandma's cottage in Kentucky, where we would go every Summer. I loved that place more than words can describe. Now a days, kids probably would hate the place though, because there were no television and no phone... just the outdoors and evening-family-time. Did you, as a child, have a special place that seemed to have its own smell - it's own atmosphere - it's own unique feeling that enveloped you when you were there? The cottage was that place for me.

Oh, and in case you are wondering - the photo is of the first bass I ever caught out of the pond at the cottage. G, Do ya think I look a little bit happy in the photo? ;-)

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Heads or Tails *Summer Memory*

http://www.mistysmusings.com/2008/07/heads-or-tails-summer-memory.html

Heads or Tails *Anything Green*

One of my favorite bloggers, Skittles has started a Tuesday meme. It is LOTS of fun-so you'll wanna join us right away! If you click on the Heads or Tails logo - it will take you to the post to tell you more about the meme.

This week's topic is Heads - anything green. Skittles chose this theme because St. Patrick's Day and Spring are in the immediate future.

When I was in second grade, we were going to have a big St. Patrick's Day party at school. My dad had come to visit me at my grandparents', and I was busily going from room to room, picking things up, crawling in the cupboards and back out, lifting up the rugs, peeking under the furniture... searching every nook and cranny.

Finally, my dad asked, "What ya doing, Mist?"

I replied, "I'm looking for the leprechauns, Daddy! You know, those little green guys?!?! They have gold, Daddy! And, if I find them, they will have to show me where their gold is! It would be better than what the Tooth Fairy would leave me if I lost all my teeth at one time! You wanna help me look for em?"

My daddy smiled and replied, "I don't need to look for them. You see, Brandy is a great hunting dog, and when I get home, Brandy will show me exactly where those little green guys are."

"Are you serious Daddy?!?! They'll have to show you where the gold is if Brandy finds them!"

Brandy was my dad's Irish Setter dog. She was one of the highlights of my life. I loved her SO much, and she was one of the smartest dogs I ever knew. So, I wasn't the least bit surprised to hear that she could track and find little, miniature green guys. (Yes, dogs were my whole world back then too)

My dad left to go home, and I took my bath and was sitting on my grandma's lap in the rocking chair for my bedtime story. (I can even remember which book we were reading!) I heard the door open in the other room, and looked at my grandma and started to ask who could possibly be here at night, but, when I looked up, I saw my daddy. Seeing my daddy walk through the door on any day was the greatest thing ever; I used to pray over and over again 'Please let my daddy come over today'. So, having him walk through that door twice in one day made me an extremely happy girl.

My dad came up to me, and as I sat in my grandma's lap looking up at him, he held out a small, square, glass jar with something in it. He handed me the jar, and I stared in amazement... I was absolutely speechless for a bit, and then I whispered in awe...

"ohhhhhh it's gold. Brandy found the little green guys, didn't she Daddy? Woooooow"

I took the gold to school with me, and I excitedly told the whole class that my daddy's Irish Setter is the greatest, most beautiful, and smartest dog in the whole wide world, and she found the leprechauns, and they had to show my daddy where the gold was, and my daddy brought some of it to me. (You know, I rattled all of this out in one very long breathless sentence, in typical second-grader fashion.)

My teacher then had the nerve to start telling the class about something called Fools gold. She proceeded to claim that what my daddy brought me was actually Fools gold... and blah blah blah. I was one furious little girl. I stood my ground...

"NO, Mrs. Doesn't-Know-Real-Gold-When-She-Sees-It! You are wrong! That is REAL gold! My daddy has the greatest and smartest dog in the world, and she found the little green guys, and she showed my daddy, and they took him to their gold! No ma'am, I am not arguing with you; I would never do that, because my grandma taught me not to argue with grown-ups. I'm just telling you that my daddy would NEVER lie to me, and he said the little green guys showed him this gold!"

I can only imagine what a time my grandma had trying to explain to me that, no my daddy wouldn't lie to me... but...

I still have that bottle and the gold, and I still go crawling and peeking around in every nook and cranny looking for the little green guys on St. Patrick's Day... eventually, I'll find them. I have to admit - if my daddy walked through the door on this St. Patrick's Day, I would be that excited and thankful little girl all over again, and I would truly feel like I had just been shown the gold.

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Heads or Tails *Anything Green*

http://www.mistysmusings.com/2008/03/heads-or-tails-anything-green.html

In Loving Memory

For the man who, at retirement age, agreed to take in and raise a two year old little girl wearing no shoes and a dirty diaper;

For the man who played school with his granddaughter;

For the man who sat her on his knee and taught her all the silly songs that Grandma would tell her not to repeat;

For the man who watched his granddaughter dance around to Bon Jovi on the hardwood living room floor when the carpet was being replaced;

For the man who would sit for hours so his granddaughter could show him what could be done with a computer, although he had no understanding of them at all;

For the man who built a desk, exactly as she wanted it, with no blueprints for reference, for that computer;

For the man who used to tell everyone he knew that his granddaughter was going to be the first woman president, because she was so smart (Sorry Grandpa, politics just aren't my thing);

For the man who used to tickle his granddaughter's feet while he sat in his chair watching television;

For the man who taught his entire family that the most important thing in life is family;

For the man who always stood behind his word and considered a handshake an unbreakable promise;

For the man who never met a stranger and earned the respect of everyone who knew him;

For the man who taught me to never give up on dreams;

For the man who gave me a life to be thankful for; values and morals I am proud of; and love and respect for others;

For the most influential man in my life...

I love you, Grandpa - Happy Birthday. I miss you more than words can express, but I also feel you and Grandma with me every day. Thank you for that - thank you for always being with me - I hope I make you proud.
Love, Misty Dawn

(This photo was taken on my wedding day. My grandpa had told me that I could get married in his home (where I was raised), but he would not be able to attend. He stated that he needed to be with Grandma at the nursing home, and he was sorry, but he would be there in spirit. My husband and I refused to accept that - So, we planned the wedding for when we knew Grandpa would be home for lunch!!! Sneaky, I know - but my grandpa taught me that when you want something bad enough, you've got to work hard and not give up on getting it.)

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY TO ALL MY VERY SPECIAL BLOGGING FRIENDS - I LOVE YOU ALL!

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In Loving Memory

http://www.mistysmusings.com/2008/02/in-loving-memory.html